JEKYLL: BBC MINI-SERIES

The Charge

Opening Statement

British television had a big hit with the reboot of Doctor Who, and
now the same production team breathes life into an equally iconic British
horror/science fiction classic The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr.
Hyde. Sexy, violent, and loads of fun, Jekyll brings the old creaky
classic novel into the modern age with a big bang in a lavish science fiction
production...with no potions, prosthetics, or dry ice in sight. James Nesbitt
(Waking Ned Devine) takes on the lead role, dealing with trying to
protect the good doctor's wife and kids from his nasty bad side while dodging a
mysterious government agency who wants to exploit his condition. Jekyll
is great slick entertainment that provides unique thrills with an oft-told
tale.

Facts of the Case

In this re-imagining we are introduced to Dr. Tom Jackman (Nesbitt), who has
been struggling for six months with mysterious, troubling blackouts. The first
scene finds him strapping himself in to a chair to prepare for a change while an
attractive assistant aids him. The frightening thing is, during these episodes
he becomes someone else, a sociopathic creature who lives only for carnal
pleasures. The good doctor has GPS tracking on himself, and entirely different
sets of wallets and clothes for each personality. The two entities have
established rules, such as scheduled transformations and boundaries for each.
It's a well-choreographed "body share" for two beings with completely
different agendas. The good doctor by agreement can't seek a cure, and the bad
side can't threaten the family of the alter ego.

Rules are made to be broken and, in the first episode of the six-part
series, the situation becomes dire as the two personalities declare war on each
other. The monster wants an identity, and begins to covet the doctor's life. The
good doctor finds out why he's changing, and realizes his Hyde persona is
stalking his family. And what of the mysterious black vans following every move?
Seems a government agency is all too interested in what is going on, and that
can't bode well. The race is on to find a cure before the dark side consumes all
that is good.

The Evidence

It's a mixture of mystery, comedy, horror, and eroticism that works even if
it is a bit all over the place. Part of the charm of the series is that it is a
delicious collage of many different genres and tones. Though the lead character
has two distinct personalities, the series has several different styles managing
to meld into a romantic conspiracy thriller with a sci-fi/horror twist.
Jekyll takes a smartly fun script and allows the lead actor to run away
with it. James Nesbitt gets to play the two sides without anything more than a
pair of black contacts and slicker hair to go bad. As a testament to the mad
skills of the thespian, nothing else is needed to create two completely
different people. Dr. Jackman is meek, nerdy, and repressed. His alter ego is
unapologetically psychopathic, sexy, and free. The entire series hinges on his
performance, and he pulls it off magnificently. The Hyde character is a mixture
of a mincing Alan Cumming combined with high-camp Jack Nicholson, but he's
believable as a threat. The smartest touch is Nesbitt allows small traces of the
other to seep into each character like a human yin and yang design. It's a
cheeky performance that incorporates Nesbitt's best bits, and allows him to play
at a volume of level of three for the good doctor and go up to 11 as Hyde. We
believe in and cheer for both simultaneously.

The supporting cast is equally up to the challenge as the lead to inhabit
this dual world of many genres. Sexy and cool Michelle Ryan (The Bionic
Woman) is a concerned assistant hired to manage the two personalities. Gina
Bellman (Coupling) proves she can do drama as strongly as comedy while
playing the put-upon wife who is not sure what is happening until it is too
late. Myra Syal and Fenella Woolgar play intensely smart lesbian private dicks
who have been mysteriously bribed to stop following Dr. Jackman. And for the
Star Wars fans, Dennis Lawson appears as the head of the institute where
Jackman works. It's a wonderful cast, and they each manage the shifts in tone
and twists in their characters with great panache.

Jekyll is a simple story told in a complicated way. It's the tried
and true tale of a man battling with his id -- that primal part of the brain
that controls basic primitive instincts. We've seen the story retold as a
werewolf or Hulk, but this is a man who changes into another man capable
of walking the streets unnoticed. Newer elements to the tale are brought in with
modern science as well as a government conspiracy. Interestingly enough, though
the personalities are at war, they both have to align to fight the real bad guys
of the series. Where the original tale was about the dangers of duality to an
individual, this Jekyll begins to advance the idea we need both sides to
survive the modern world. The plot is a serpentine roller coaster ride full of
endless twists and turns, and the show moves so quickly you can't skip ten
minutes of any episode without getting lost. The show gleefully takes on a
frenetic pace that doesn't slow down for a second, and it takes great joy in
moving in directions you'd never expect.

BBC America does a nice job with the DVD, piling on extras and extended
episodes that make it the best way to view the series. Each episode is given the
"director's cut" treatment, without the trims one would see if you
caught Jekyll during its broadcast run either in the United Kingdom or on
U.S. basic cable. The language is saucier, the violence a bit more bloody, and
the sex more primal. The transfer is a solid widescreen, but at times a bit
dark. Audio is fine as well with a stereo mix that does well with the score and
dialogue balance. Sometimes it can get harsh with so many elements in the mix.
Extras include an informative commentary on the pilot with director Douglas
MacKinnon, writer Steven Moffat, and producer Elaine Cameron teaming up to talk
about the show while it was in production. On Disc One, there is also a nice
look at how a scene was composed with real lions, a daunting task considering
the big cats are real and not CGI creations. On Disc Two, the finale gets
another informative commentary from actress Gina Bellman, director Matt Lipsey,
and executive producer Beryl Vertue. Also included is an in-depth 34-minute look
at the making of the series, and how the creative team formulated this new
high-concept series from the old novel of note.

The Rebuttal Witnesses

As much fun as Jekyll is, there are holes in the logic of the series,
and at times it is too clever for its own good. It sometimes seems that
characters conveniently forget facts for a spell, or they come up with pithy
one-liners under dire circumstances that would render most people speechless.
There's a broad camp quality that never quite feels like horror. Hyde is not a
monster; rather he is an impish Irish devil we root for instead of the good
doctor. The creators want to establish the same tone Joss Whedon did so well
with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a mix of horror and comedy that provided
both masterfully. Usually Jekyll does manage to juggle the two well, but
now and then a scene falls too far on one side or the other. The creators are
trying to meld an awful lot of things into the show, and sometimes the elements
feel shoehorned together with a gleeful "Ain't it great?" aw
shucks charm. The writers know when they are being clever, and they aren't
afraid to show off a bit.

Closing Statement

Jekyll represents the new wave of British television, and joins the
ranks of Hex and the new Doctor Who as slick, inventive fun. It's
sexy and dark, with a lot of style and wit. American television could learn a
lot from the quick pace and abbreviated six-show season that makes every moment
count. Although the series is reaching for many different tones, the fact the
story has been told fifty-eight times before gives me an appreciation for trying
new things. Jekyll works because it is smartly done and a sexy, violent
good time. It hinges on a bravura performance, and an intensely paced journey
through every genre you can imagine. This is a re-imagining of a classic that
actually works thanks to a smart team that knows how to wring life out of
traditional material. Jekyll is a brilliant, handsome series that is well
worth the investment to watch.

The Verdict

Jekyll is guilty of being bloody good fun that won't rot your brain.
It's a schizophrenic, psychotic mess that is a joy to watch.